


At sea

by ifreet



Category: due South
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-06-17
Updated: 2006-06-17
Packaged: 2017-10-10 12:22:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/99691
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ifreet/pseuds/ifreet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ficlet for riadsala's prompt <i>"Well, excuse me Ray, but I've been operating under the assumption that you were a reasonable human being; I apologise for being mistaken."</i> for the 2006 out_of_contxt exchange.</p>
            </blockquote>





	At sea

The argument had held, brewing through securing the scene, building through the silent ride, which lead not to the Consulate, with its dubious privacy and too easy retreats, but to Ray's apartment, where the argument had finally burst outside the building.

"Well, excuse me Ray, but I've been operating under the assumption that you were a reasonable human being; I apologize for being mistaken." Fraser's voice carried cold and clear over the slamming of the door.

"Damnit, Fraser! I will take a dunking in Lake Michigan for you , I will jump through a damn window for you, I will watch _curling_ for you, but the one thing I will not do is let you just, just _stroll_ into danger alone, unarmed, and not say something! That is not being unreasonable!"

"I didn't see any other way--"

"There's always another way! We found another way!"

"And what about when there's not, Ray?!" His cheeks were windburn red, his shoulders rose and fell visibly, rocking with each breath. "What then, Ray? Do you expect me to give up who- what I am?

"I can't - I _won't_ change who I am, not even for you." There was an implicit 'not again' there, Ray knew, even if Fraser didn't know he'd hear it, Victoria Metcalf being one of those conversations they'd never had, because Ray wouldn't ask and Fraser didn't tell. But Ray'd read Vecchio's case notes, which just didn't add up for all that they added up too perfect, so he'd gone to Welsh, who'd told him... enough.

Enough to let go of the anger -- well, most of the anger. some of the anger -- he felt over Fraser's latest idiotic stunt, since that apparently wasn't what they were fighting over anymore. Enough to focus on the compliment in that "not even," over the bad company that put him in. Enough to reach out and wrap his arms around Fraser and reel him in, even if Fraser froze against the contact.

"No, Frase, I don't expect that," he was talking softly, words lapping against Fraser's ear, his neck. "What I do expect, though," and somehow Fraser stilled further, "is for you to remember you're part of a team. A duet. It's you and me now, and if you go under, I'm going with you."

Ray squeezed Fraser briefly, but it was his own voice that creaked. "So, you've got to be careful."

After the second longest minute of Ray's life, Fraser leaned ever so slightly against him, arms rising to awkwardly return the hug, then cleared his throat and replied, "Perhaps I could stand to be a little careful."


End file.
